Torchwood Safety Lesson
by Tylluan
Summary: New girl Gwen Cooper asks her boss about Torchwood safety gear. Set early S1 shortly after Everything Changes.


_This story was inspired by Meef from the TWF who got me thinking about what this scene would look like…_

"Jack?"

Jack turned from where he was staring intently at the monitor in the conference room. The others had been on their way out the door but stopped when Gwen spoke. As the new gal in the team it had become a past time of the others to watch her in her interactions with Jack. She tended to question all things Torchwood in a way that was fun to watch.

"Yeah?" Jack asked absently, still focused on the information from Tosh's presentation. "What's up?"

"Can I ask a question?" Gwen moved across the room to where Jack was standing. He half turned in her direction and noticed that Owen had sat on the edge of the conference room table, his arms crossed. Tosh was busy looking at her PDA, but hadn't left the room. Ianto was leaning against the open doorway, his hands in his pockets. They all seemed to be waiting for something and Jack raised an eyebrow at them before turning his attention back to the newest member who had only started a few weeks ago.

"Sure Gwen," Jack said as he looked down at her. "What's up?"

"Okay, I may be stupid for asking this," she began before hearing a snort from somewhere behind her. She paused and looked at the other three who were watching her expectantly. It could only have been Owen, she thought to herself. She stared at him for a moment before turning back to Jack. "But I have to ask."

Jack was frowning slightly as he tried to follow her. "Ask what?"

"If we're this oh so important secret organization with access to this high tech gadgetry, why don't we use it?" This was all said in a rush, as if she had to get it out or she would explode. Jack blinked at her.

"We do use it," he said, puzzled. "Half the stuff you see around you is from alien tech." He tapped the flat screen in front of him. "You think Sony thought this up themselves? If we hadn't leaked the technology to the right people, this would be a big box television set taking up half the room right now. That Bluetooth headset you're wearing? Alien tech. Cell phones? Ditto. The space shuttle? Well, the first one anyway. I wasn't the one who recommended those stupid O ring modifications. That was NASA making that monumental mistake all by themselves. " Jack leaned forward and Gwen had to take a step back. He paused for a long minute and thought for a moment before continuing. "Never listen to a five star general, by the way." He shook himself for getting distracted from what he was saying.

"If left to themselves, it would have taken the human race another hundred years to get to where they are now. Anyhow, you were saying?" He grinned at her, seeing she was at a loss for words.

"But what about us?" She asked. She waved off his list of stuff that was now common place technology. "Don't we as a team use some of the more new stuff that hasn't be released?"

"Well, yeah. Unless it's too dangerous, then we lock it up. But we use stuff," Jack said.

"Like what?" Gwen asked. Jack looked at the team and shrugged.

"Well, stuff. Some of it doesn't have names, you know. Well, until Ianto names it," Jack grinned at the young man in the suit who looked slightly uncomfortable with his acknowledgement. "But we still use it if it doesn't kill anyone. And if it doesn't cause any trouble with the locals." At this comment he pointedly stared at Owen who looked away. Jack was never going to let him forget about that cologne business, at least not for a while.

"What about safety equipment?" Gwen asked. Jack gave her a puzzled look. "You know, like some super high tech bulletproof vest or something?"

"Now what alien walks out of the rift wearing a bulletproof vest?" Owen asked, the sarcasm evident as he sneered in Gwen's direction. "Oh yes, we get that one all the time." Tosh put her hand over her mouth to cover her giggle and Ianto shook his head.

"I'm sure that sometime, something would come through that we could use for safety gear, yeah?" Gwen asked. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Owen who was oblivious to her look. She turned back to Jack. "Well?"

Jack thought about it. "Nope. Just weapons, lost aliens and the occasional medical device which Owen tries out without hurting anything, but mostly it's just Weevils and junk."

"So here we are in this top secret organization," she started.

"Located underground, don't forget that," Ianto cut in and Gwen gave him a look before continuing.

"And we can't use any of it?" Gwen asked. "What's the point then?"

"The point?" Jack asked. He was still trying to follow what she was talking about, but was still a bit confused by it all.

"Yeah, what's the point of doing all this if we can't even protect ourselves from the stray alien weapon?" Gwen asked.

"I think we're doing okay here," Jack said. "And when we do find something we have to be careful. Often something that looks like something normal isn't."

"Like a glove," Ianto said in the background and Jack shot him a look before turning his attention back to Gwen.

"The point of all of this is the stuff we can use safely, we do when we can. Otherwise, most of it is just too dangerous. Which is why, when we find it we lock it away," Jack said.

"So what's the point, then?" Gwen asked. She had her hands on her hips and she was looking slightly annoyed.

"Because it's fun?" Ianto suggested.

"And cool, don't forget the cool stuff," Owen pointed out.

"It's a puzzle," Tosh said. She loved pulling apart a new piece of technology to see how it worked.

"And because it is safer for us to retrieve stuff than it is for people to find on their own," Jack said. Gwen had been looking to each member of the team and turned back to Jack at his comment. "They're not ready for the stuff that comes through the rift. But some day they may be. In the meantime, we collect what's out there and keep them safe. Or as safe as we can. Sometimes they don't make it easy, though," Jack finished ruefully.

"And who keeps us safe, Jack?" Gwen asked. She looked up into his eyes with a serious expression. "Who minds the minders?"

"We keep each other safe, Gwen. It's a dangerous position to be in, but we do the best we can and I think we do a damned good job here. And seriously, would a bulletproof vest do anything against an unknown weapon from the rift? I doubt it." Jack felt he owed her an honest answer. It may not be what she wanted to hear, but there it was. "Besides, you've worn riot gear, in training if not on the beat." Gwen nodded. "And after doing that for a while, what was the first thing you wanted to do?"

"Take it off because it was too much," Gwen admitted. "But still, I thought there'd be something a bit more advanced, you know? That it would look normal, but still protect us, right?"

Jack shook his head. "Gwen, now that you've been here a while, you may have noticed that not much normal stuff comes through the rift. Even with the most advanced nanotechnology we would still be vulnerable to something."

"It's a dangerous job, but someone has to do it," Owen said. Jack looked up at him and nodded before looking back at Gwen.

"And we're the ones protecting Cardiff from what's in there," he said softly. "And knowing all that, could you walk away from it?"

"No," she replied in a low voice, her eyes fixed on Jack's. "No, I couldn't."

"Exactly. Neither can I," Jack said. He smiled down at her. "Anyhow, we've got a job to do. Let's go keep Cardiff and the rest of the world safe!" Jack clapped his hands together. "Ianto, if you would be so kind as to make us some coffee, we can see if Tosh's idea is going to work for us this evening."

"I'll get right on it, sir," Ianto said. He pulled away from the wall and went out the door to head towards the coffee maker, Tosh following behind him. Owen still sat on the edge of the table, his arms crossed. Jack looked at him and he pushed himself off and strolled towards the doorway. He was at the threshold before he turned back.

"If you're looking for a safe place Gwen, this isn't it," he turned and walked out the door, Gwen staring after him.

"So is that it? We just hope we don't get ourselves killed?" She asked. Jack put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.

"Just about. Though I do think that this team is smart enough to get themselves out of anything we might run into," Jack said as he smiled down at her. "Come on, Gwen. Have a little faith!"

"I guess I'm going to have to, aren't I?" Gwen said as Jack moved towards the doorway in search of a cup of coffee. She followed him and closed the door behind her…


End file.
